[6] The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.

After the end of the Revolutionary War, an inn was built along a wagon trail that stretched from Philadelphia west over the Appalachian Mountains to Fort Pitt, now the city of Pittsburgh.

A tiny settlement known as Newtown grew around the inn, which is today the center of Greensburg's Business District at the intersection of Pittsburgh and Main Streets.

According to historian John Boucher, after Hannastown was attacked and burned by "Indians and Tories" in 1782,[7] efforts began to relocate the county seat.

On December 10, 1785, county officials contracted with Christopher Truby and William Jack to purchase two acres of Newtown land to erect public buildings.

By the mid-1990s, city officials shifted their revitalization plans on the cultural aspects of Downtown Greensburg, such as the restorations of the Palace Theater and the historic Train Station, as well as a performing arts center for Seton Hill University.

Also, in July 2009, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the largest medical school in the country, opened a satellite campus at Seton Hill University.

The name originated because of fights at the rowdy Bushfield Tavern in the early 1840s to mid-19th century that were compared to the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Hilltop, a neighborhood in Eighth Ward, was originally settled by Italian immigrants and borders South Greensburg and Underwood on either side.

The Hilltop Social Club, founded by a few families who lived in the areas of Bierer, Margaret, White, and Catherine Streets, is also located here.

Every year it has become a tradition for the firehall in the Eighth Ward to throw a carnival which includes bingo, amusement rides, and the locally-known Shuey Burgers, a relatively simple combination of a freshly grilled hamburger and fried, caramelized Vidalia onions.

As the mall continued on its irreversible decline, the nationally based Montgomery Ward and the regional chain Horne's also closed.

The building was eventually razed in 2003, and a new shopping center called Greengate Centre, anchored by a Walmart, was subsequently built.

Nearly 300 employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry work in the State Office Building on North Main Street.

Additionally, it is the home of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and the Summer Sounds Concert Series at the Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park.

also contributes to the region's culture, offering classes in musical theatre for young people and staging professional productions at the Palace Theater and Greensburg Garden and Civic Center.

This multimillion-dollar complex, located in the city's Cultural District, is expected to serve as an additional catalyst for the future growth of the downtown core.

A hands-on science center, to feature a wide range of interactive exhibits, was proposed for the former Mellon Bank building downtown.

The Discovery & Interactive Science Center (DISC) would have been a regional attraction for Westmoreland, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, and Bedford counties.

Greensburg has hosted its share of prominent politicians over the years, including a July 1994 visit from then-President Bill Clinton, former Democratic candidate John Kerry and his running mate John Edwards in July 2004 and Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in March 2008 and Joe Biden in September 2020.

Comprising Hempfield Township, and the communities of Adamsburg, Armbrust, Bovard, Grapeville, Hannastown, Hunker, Luxor, Manor, New Stanton, and Youngwood, the school district completely surrounds the city of Greensburg.

In recent years, Seton Hill has begun to expand into the downtown area by constructing several academic buildings and a performing arts center.

In addition, the branches of Carlow University, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and Triangle Tech are located within the Greater Greensburg area.

Meanwhile, Isaac Seneca became the first Native-American to earn All-American honors and Adam Wyant made history by becoming the first professional football player to be elected to the United States Congress.

A proposed highway called the Laurel Valley Expressway was initially planned to be built to the east of Greensburg, primarily in Unity, Derry, and Mount Pleasant townships, but that project has never materialized.

Greyhound Lines runs regularly scheduled bus service to and from Greensburg from many hubs, including Pittsburgh, Chicago, and New York City.

The city has Amtrak rail service at the restored Greensburg station, as well as freight rail operator Norfolk Southern and an independent shortline railroad connecting coal mines and businesses located south of the city to the Norfolk Southern line just west of Greensburg.

Greensburg is bike-friendly as it offers the Five Star Trail, which begins at Lynch Field and ends south of the city in Armbrust.

Electricity for Greensburg and a large portion of Westmoreland County is supplied by West Penn Power, a division of FirstEnergy.

The Greater Greensburg area is home to several medical facilities, ranging from independent clinics and urgent care centers to full-service hospitals.